Finding Small Business Information

Business Plans:

• Business plans handbook:a compilation of actual business plans developed by small business throughout North America. Ref Area, 2nd fl. HD62.7 .B865
• Entreprenuer Magazine’s Startup Guides (print only)
• SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business” Business Templates
• Business Plan Archive Dot-com era/e-commerce related business plans (requires free registration).

Industry Overview:

U.S. Government data and many database providers use an industry sector’s classification number.  This is often a good strategy for narrowing down your search.

To look up your industry’s number go to: North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)

• Business Source Premier
• Small Business Sourcebook Ref Area, 2nd fl.  HD2346.U5 S66
• Snapshots North America (SSU only)
• Standard & Poor’s Industry Surveys, Ref Area, 2nd fl. HC106.6 .S74
• Almanac of business and industrial financial ratios, Ref Area, 2nd fl. HF5681.R25 A44

Journal & Newspaper Articles

• Academic Search Premier (Ebsco) (Ebsco)
• ABI/Inform Global
• ABI/Inform Trade & Industry
• BizJournals.com: Industries
• Factiva
• Lexis/Nexis Academic

U.S. Government Information:

• Small Business Administration
• Business.gov
• Small Business Administration Research & Statistics
• Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

Market Research:

• Statistical Resources on the Web (Univ. of Michigan)
• Statistical Abstract of the United States
• Counting California
• RAND California

SSU has many print resources with detailed demographic/marketing data.

Web Guides/Directories:

• American Society of Association Executives Find a related association for your small business
• Entreprenuer.com Franchise Zone
• EntreWorld Resources for Entrepreneurs
• Infomine (Scholarly Information Search Engine)
• Thomas Register Directory of 173,000 companies. Great for locating suppliers & pricing information.

Sonoma County/California Resources

• County of Sonoma Economic Development Board
• Chamber of Commerce.com Relevant resources & information for local business
• D&B regional business directory. San Francisco area. Uses SIC Ref HC4058.S4 D86

Request from other libra Help Guides: ries:

• LINK+ (books only)
• Interlibrary Services (books & articles)

Other useful resources:

• Citation Style Manuals
• Evaluating Information

Related Guides:

• Finding Company Information
• Finding Industry Information
• Profiling a California Industry* (pdf)